Sk8man

It isn't a total answer but 30 lb Bloodrun Seaflee with a 12 lb Fluoro for the Fingers and a 20 lb fluoro for LakeO works very well for me on the riggers

It happens in many if not most lakes and seems most prominent in larger lakes. It is a complex relationship between water temperatures, ambient air temperature, wind (direction and velocity), and underwater current. It happens when dense water descends to bottom pushing the bottom water upward (creating an inversion) and the wind distributes that particular less dense water either shoreward or out away from shore. Sometimes fishing is good where the boundary of where the warm and colder water meet or intersect. I am not a scientist but this is my understanding of it.

Sutton's are very near and dear to my heart too and my grandfather used them extensively on Seneca Lake (around 1910 or so Generation 1 in every sense of the word I guess) but I have always been unclear on just when they started up etc. and the history. Thanks Mark You are "the man" when it comes to the Sutton's

Just make sure you have at least 50 ft of 6 lb test in case you get a king on

Nice going Bill....best part I'm sure was doing it with the kids

Yes Mike they are "patchy" and seem to be close to the surface as I only had out just enough braid for example to get the cores under and the wires were running very short compared with the usual. Sure makes a nasty mess in my white boat interior too

My son and I fished 1/2 day trolled north from Dean's from 40-205ft and then south from Dean's (all on west side) from 26 ft to 270ft (2.4-3.0 hoping to avoid lakers). Stayed within 40 ft of surface with everything (2 riggers a 3 and a 4 color leadcore and two wire dipsys up tight (running tight about 40 ft). One small rainbow on rigger 35 ft down (on slider), another a bit larger on Sutton 71 with pink UV tape at 25 ft., a sublegal landlock on a perch Rapala, behind 4 color,5-6 lb laker on same 4 color, and another 5-6 lb laker on rigger 25 ft. down. Had another pretty savage hit on the 4 color on boards) but was gone after taking the drag out. Everything released OK. All action around 150 - 170 ft. Didn't see much in closer at all (bait or fish). Fleas were pretty bad on everything including the 150 lb downrigger once. A lot of weeds floating around out toward the middle on the west side. Beautiful day but that sun got very hot so we called it.

Sure doesn't look as though you had to ask them to smile for the pics Dan

WTG

Sweet! we're headed there in the AM

Delons I guess it is just a matter of asking the right guy....and Hank (L&M) sure is that guy

Real nice landlock and I guess he earned it as it was a really tough derby. The burning question: Did he get it on one of your Honeybee's? Oops just noticed it....

All it takes is a slight distortion in shape to make them dysfunctional and it sounds as though you may have had a defective one if it was broken (maybe hairline crack unnoticed when it was put in?) If you were up in that 200 range for long you may want to have the engine thoroughy checked out anyway.

First pic is mainly Andy Reekers Second pic Manistee Wobblers

The 8-9lb estimate is a good one. You can get a good general idea from the chart on page 60 of the DEC syllabus too.